Chapter 46 of 404

Jesus in Context

Unlike most of his predecessors, Sanders starts with some fairly certain historical information about Jesus’ life, rather than with the sayings.⁹⁹ For example, he seeks to learn about Jesus’ expectations and mission based on his act in the temple, which he regards as historically secure.¹⁰⁰ Working from this secure point, he compares expectation of a new temple and restoration in early Jewish literature, ¹⁰¹ to which Jesus’ views seem comparable, and finds other indications of Jesus’ Jewish restoration eschatology.¹⁰² (Many or most scholars do now view Jesus as somehow a prophet of Israel’s restoration.)¹⁰³

These indications include the continuity of thought regarding eschatological restoration from John the Baptist to Paul — implying the intervening influence of Jesus.¹⁰⁴ By comparing contemporary sources, Sanders shows that Jesus’ choice of a special group of twelve disciples also marks his movement as a remnant movement interested in Israel’s restoration.¹⁰⁵ Such features would have readily marked Jesus out to his contemporaries as an eschatological preacher.

Some of Jesus’ other behavior contrasts with contemporary expectations. Sanders presents Jesus’ fellowship with “sinners” as highly unusual, a practice neither borrowed from contemporary Judaism nor fully endorsed by his followers. It is, he contends, thus both authentic and revealing about Jesus’ mission. ¹⁰⁶ Sanders connects Jesus’ welcome of sinners with his view that Jesus was not calling for national repentance.¹⁰⁷ I would view the evidence differently: on my view, national repentance was so urgent that Jesus went out of his way to seek sinners, and his mission as an agent of the kingdom was so central that embracing his message counted for more before God than did conventional forms of expressing repentance. (I will return to that subject in ch. 14.)

He doubts most supposed cases of Jesus rejecting the law (e.g., the sabbath), but does find evidence that Jesus allowed the law to be set aside in some cases, probably related to the emergency situation of the impending kingdom. ¹⁰⁸ He doubts much conflict with the Pharisees, but given Jesus’ action in the temple, he (like Vermes and others) allows the more lethal opposition of the aristocratic priests.¹⁰⁹

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